Goodbye
by Beckintime
Summary: Luna and the centaurs


**A/N This is my themed submission for round 10 of the houses competition**

 **House: Ravenclaw**

 **Category: themed**

 **Prompt: Centaur**

 **Word count: 1474**

Luna always hated goodbyes, but this one wasn't too difficult, she knew she would be back.

Luna was always marked out to be an odd one, someone who stuck out like a sore thumb yet she seemed to so easily disappear, it's how she was able to get away with her visits to the forbidden forest every week or so.

It started out as a childish curiosity, after entering it during her care of magical creatures lessons she wanted to go back desperately and explore what else the forest had to offer. She knew that she shouldn't. That it would probably get her into trouble, but one day after her lessons she disappeared and entered the forest.

She went further than had ever gone during her lessons with Hagrid and the other students. She stepped over huge gnarled roots from which trees grew to the size of about twenty to thirty feet, and passed by multicoloured berries which populated lush green bushes. The forest was alive with animals to, from mundane squirrels, chasing each other up trees, to animals native to solely magical lands like the rare creatures: Thestrals.

Luna had never seen their presence as an omen of death or really that they were dangerous creatures at all. If you acted calm and non-threatening it would as well. Thestrals also reminded Luna of her mother, Pandora. After all, it was her who had given Luna the gift to be able to see them. Admittedly, the thestrals didn't bring her happy memories of her mother but of the fact that she was dead. Luna never got a proper goodbye, as a result she wasn't convinced that was the final, real goodbye to her mother though, they would meet again, in the afterlife. Her father once told her after her mother had died, "Death isn't truly goodbye, it's just an extended "see you later."" And Luna truly believed that. She would see her mother again, of that, she was sure.

It was a night like that, that she met them. Her true friends of the forest, the centaurs.

She was walking deep in the woods, lost in the thought and beauty of the forest, following the thestrals till the light faded from the sky. She held her wand out in front of her, the tip glowing the white lumos charm as she walked back down a path she hadn't taken before, one which twisted and turned so many times Luna almost felt dizzy. Turning her sixth corner, (one which she was pretty sure would bring her back to the main path to Hogwarts if her spatial awareness was correct) she faced once again an entirely new stretch of forest.

In the distance, she heard the howl of a wolf and realised that she may, in fact, be lost.

Not yet panicking, Luna's rational mind kicked in and she looked up to the sky, trying to use the stars to navigate her way back to Hogwarts. It was to no avail, the tree canopy up there was too thick, she'd have to climb. Luckily this wasn't too tricky, although the tree was tall there were plenty of branches to clamber up.

She was nearly at the top when her foot slipped from under her and she plummeted to the ground. She cried out in pain as she felt her ankle twist underneath her.

Luna now admitted she was scared, in a forest full of dangerous creatures, Alone.

A storm of thoughts rattled around her head like how stupid she was for disobeying the rules, for going into the forbidden forest without permission, _Would anyone know? Would anyone realise she'd gone?_ She immediately chastised herself, of course they would. Neville would, she knew that much.

 _Neville._

She'd never had the chance to tell him how she felt, and now she never would, worst of all she couldn't even say goodbye to him.

It was then, she heard the clopping of hooves on the bare forest floor, looking out from where she had now balled up against the base of the tree she saw a sight both regal and terrifying. She didn't know whether to stay or attempt to flee. She decided on the former, to stand her ground as the centaurs approached, there was no way she would outrun them especially on her ankle. They were intelligent creatures, she could talk them out of attacking.

A group of six of them drew up around her in horseshoe formation; stern faces, arrow notched and drawn in their bows.

"Name yourself, and your business here. Why are you in the forest alone?" the lead centaur demanded.

"My name is Luna Lovegood, I came in because I was curious about the forest and I appeared to have got lost, I didn't mean to wander into your territory" she started, remembering they were territorial creatures.

The centaurs fidgeted around, most lowering their bows " I see you're a youngling, studying at the school, yes? Best you get back now, this forest is too dangerous for the likes of you, curiosity killed the cat after all."

Luna returned, "But don't cats have nine lives? I have also injured my ankle so that may be quite difficult."

Although the centaurs didn't relax completely, they seemed to enjoy the intellect Luna possessed. "Ok young one, we'll get you back home safely."

And with the help of the centaurs, she did just that, the journey back took about an hour she guessed and during that time she engaged the centaurs in conversation, enjoying the riddles they posed her with and her entertaining them with some of her own. They were also intrigued by her love and interest in nature and curiosity around magical creatures and as she arrived back at the outskirts of the forest they were busy exchanging cultural knowledge and differences.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye," Luna said as she approached the edge of the treeline.

"Yes, I suppose it is, though I get the feeling we will meet again young one," The lead centaur said, who she learned was called Ianotus

Ianotus stood and bowed his head and she mimicked him out of respect.

"I would love to learn more about your culture one day," she said to them

"I get the sense, you won't stay out of the forest even though you know you aren't supposed to be here, so perhaps we can show you what it has to offer in a safer manner than you going in alone, only the stars can tell."

She smiled, "I'd like that."

"Goodbye youngling."

"It's not goodbye, it's see you later." With that, she sneaked back up to the castle.

Since then, herself and the centaurs met regularly. They took her through the forest, she saw parts of nature and creatures she'd never expect: trees that were a stark, shining silver; Lakes that gave off luminous green stink clouds; An actual unicorn! The list was endless. She was almost certain she wasn't fooling the teachers at school but for some reason, unknown to her they didn't seem to mind. _Potentially Ianotus and the others talked to them?_ She pondered to herself.

This continued throughout Luna's time at Hogwarts, even under the reign of Umbridge and during the wizarding war. The Centaurs were crucial then, messengers that acted as a link to Hogwarts and the people outside. Like the centaurs were messengers she was to, informing the centaurs of what was going on inside so they could pass it on. She now considered the centaurs some of her closest friends and they certainly had her back, Whilst getting to and from their meeting points, they helped her defeat multiple creatures that had inhabited the forest since the fall of Dumbledore, being drawn to the dark aura emanating from the castle. After the war, the centaurs had of course taken injuries from the battle and retreated from civilisation, and her, going back into the forest to rebuild their numbers. She understood but it hurt. She got but the briefest of goodbyes before they did so.

She was now sitting on the train home, months later, leaving Hogwarts for the last time. As the train rolled away from Hogsmeade station she looked outside the window and there they were. The centaurs, galloping alongside the train, wishing her a final farewell. Ianotus was there, leading the formation, a smile on his face. She recognised a couple of others as well, and was delighted to see at the back of the herd, were their young, racing the train and laughing amongst each other.

Her heart filled with joy as she looked at them, tears starting to well in her eyes, she pressed her hands right up to the window and smiled at them, waving at them as they started falling behind the moving train, they waved back smiling.

As they appeared to get smaller and disappeared from view she smiled slightly and thought, _It's not goodbye, it's see you later._


End file.
